Alabama

South Alabama Classic pits Jaguars against three good pitching staffs

Pitching dominated the first week of the college baseball season, and it could be the theme of the South Alabama Classic that opens today at Stanky Field.

The four participants -- South Alabama, Alabama, Southeastern Louisiana and Central Florida -- all have ERAs under 3.70 heading into the three-day event.

UCF's pitching staff has the best ERA (1.50) of the foursome and will face South Alabama in today's second game at 6 p.m. The first game features Alabama (4-0) against Southeastern Louisiana (3-1) at 1 p.m.

"This is going to be one of the best Classics in quite a while," said Jaguars coach Steve Kittrell, whose squad meets the Crimson Tide Saturday at 1 p.m.

"Central Florida's coaches think they could have a top 25-club. Alabama is ranked in the top 30 with outstanding pitching, and Southeastern Louisiana returns eight starters from a team that was close to making a (NCAA) regional last year."

South Alabama is 4-0 for the first time since 2002, but the Jaguars have needed late rallies in the last three games. USA swept UT-Martin and beat Jackson State Tuesday.

"We're proud of the way the guys are finding ways to win at the end," said Kittrell. "But when you start facing a little tougher competition, teams that have better closing pitchers, you can't depend on that.

"We have to start doing a little better early in the game, realizing that all nine innings are important. We're contemplating making some shifts in the lineup. We haven't faced a left-hander yet, and we may have to move the lineup around a little bit."

South Alabama is batting .271 with 10 doubles and three home runs. The team's ERA is 3.16.

"The pitchers have done a good job, and they'll certainly be challenged this weekend," said Kittrell. "They're not walking many guys. They're going to face some better hitters, and our defense has to play well behind them."

Alabama coach Mitch Gaspard also knows the Crimson Tide must perform at a higher level this weekend.

"The competition certainly picks up," said Gaspard. "This schedule was set up for these first four games at home with an opportunity to play a lot of guys. ... Now it does get a little more serious. I think our players understand that, and they know it's about the execution."

Alabama has outscored opponents 35-9 so far, but solid starting pitching has been the big story. In 21Ð innings, the starters have allowed 11 hits and one earned run with 28 strikeouts and two walks.

"Our starters are prepared to go a little deeper into the games," Gaspard said.

New shortstop Jared Reaves, a transfer from Southern Union Community College, leads Alabama with a .692 batting average. The Crimson Tide is hitting just .281, but its 25 drawn walks and nine hit batters equal the team's 34 hits.

"It's hard to get in a good offensive rhythm," Gaspard said. "In the first four games, we've seen pitching that we haven't seen. We're used to seeing our guys at 88-89-90 (mph) every day. Then we've seen a lot of soft stuff with big breaking balls." <el3;xh>(Don Kausler Jr. of The Press-Register Tuscaloosa Bureau contributed to this story.)